What We Have
by jtcarriere
Summary: Alvin and Brittany have always had a complicated relationship, but when the two decide to start dating, they learn that it will take more than a little romance to solve their problems. As they learn more about how the other feels, they have to discover the true meaning of the word "love."
1. Chapter 1

**Here it is, the first chapter. This is the sequel to Jeanette's Flower. It is NOT necessary for you to read Jeanette's Flower before you read this; it might help you understand some parts better, but really, you don't need to. Enjoy! Happy reading and writing!**

Brittany's Point of View

Christmas shopping is always fun, even when you're small and a furry chipmunk, or in my case, a chipette. I always go over the limit when it comes to spending money. My younger sister, Jeanette, would say that I was making an understatement or something, but I swear I only spend my limit and when I don't, at least it's for a good cause, right? Who cares though? I'm famous along with my sisters, Jeanette and Eleanor, and our friends and housemates, Alvin, Simon and Theodore, and with fame comes fortune; the two are a packaged deal!

My guardian, who I consider more of a dad, Dave, brought us all to the mall for our Christmas shopping, which was the best place to do so. We could shop for one another at so many stores and shops.

"Okay, if you get lost, we meet in the middle of the mall where that big, metal clock is hanging." Dave pointed to the clock that hung still twenty, maybe twenty-five feet above the ground. He didn't want us to get lost, he was a good parent that way. He wanted us to stay together, so naturally we split up. I watched Theodore drag Eleanor in the direction of the food court and Jeanette and Simon, who currently had the title girlfriend and boyfriend, stride to the opposite end of the mall. Alvin ran off with a mischievous grin on his face. I knew that grin and that grin always worried me. That grin meant he had something (possibly evil) up his sleeve. Idiot. He was only setting himself up for trouble with Dave.

Ignoring the fact that I would probably hear Dave scream 'Alvin!' I ran towards the nearest clothing store I could find. I always thought that Dave could use something a little nicer to wear other than a simple shirt and jean combo. He was so drab with his clothing choice, it bothered me having to see him the with the same style every single day. I hopped through the aisles casually and picked out a nice jacket for him. Being unable to carry the clothing myself, I asked the worker if I'd be able to have it delivered to our house.

"Name?" The teenage worker scoffed and rolled her eyes.

"Brittany." I state, and not knowing my real last name, I decided to use Dave's, "Brittany Seville." The service here wasn't the best, but at least it accepted sales from a chipmunk Some of the stores had a policy, "No shoes, No shirt, No furry rodents," and this I often took offense to. Most of the restaurants in town refused to serve us, at least until our host or hostess recognized who we were. The teenager slowly took her time in filling out any necessary paperwork, folded it up, and tossed it to me; it was barely able to fit in the pocket of my pink jacket. Knowing that there were others to shop for, I left in a hurry.

Dave was the easy one to buy stuff for, it was obvious what he needed, my sisters I thought about getting clothes too, but decided that because they were so great that I'd put a little more thought into their gift. Theodore I could get something to do with food; he'd accept anything, even a wrapped up toaster waffle. Simon I'd probably find something sciency, he wasn't very picky. It was Alvin whom I had the most trouble finding a gift for. He was very unpredictable unless you could literally smell the trouble he was cooking. I couldn't get him anything that he could use to break something, that would drive Dave nuts! And Alvin wasn't one to care for clothes or food or school. I could get him a video-game, but that would leave me sitting with a controller too lost in boredom. No, material objects just wouldn't do, Alvin's gift would have to be something from the heart.

"That's it!" I snapped and went in search of our group; I already had Alvin's gift with me. This was the perfect opportunity to do what I've been wanting to for a while; Alvin's Christmas present would be my heart. I could give him my heart, it wasn't material, and it was truly sincere. Honestly, ever since Alvin organized a concert in my honor almost half a year ago, I've thought differently of him. He wasn't so selfish, he was a good munk. I've grown some really good feelings for him, you could even say I liked him, but at times, when he wasn't so sweet, he could be so stupid, so annoying. Was he a bad boy? Maybe, but I wondered often if it was just an act. Did I even like bad boys? No, but I did like Alvin; he was different, at least he knew when he did something wrong. He had a heart, and soon he would have mine.

After figuring out what I'd give Alvin, I quickly found material, but meaningful gifts for his brothers. I ended up getting Simon a book of brain teasers (I can't believe I actually set foot in a bookstore!) thinking that since he thought he was so smart, he could finish that in a week. I ordered Theodore a special food platter that he could have all to himself if he wanted. As for my sisters, they would get something a little more special; Jeanette would get an evening of romance with Simon, just something I found, a sort of coupon for an activity that a shop was advertising, seemed safe. Eleanor would get to appear on a cooking show, and I was positive I could organize that. Once the shows host knew who I was, he would surely let Eleanor make an appearance. Christmas shopping was so easy!

"_Where is everyone?"_ I thought as I stared at the clock hanging above me in the middle of the mall. _"Dave said that if we got lost to come here."_ Like I would ever get lost in a mall, but I was positive Theodore would, and he was a good start for company. I looked around with a pit of loneliness in my gut. I liked being around others, whether it was Alvin or my sisters or even Dave, but when I was alone for a reason unknown to me I usually felt abandoned. After what felt like hours of being alone, I caught sight of Simon and Jeanette with their hands linked and Dave and Eleanor right behind him. Theodore struggled from behind, carrying a bag of mini donuts with him. "Where's Alvin?" I asked.

"He isn't with you?" Simon replied with a hint of worry, but probably for everyone else in the mall.

"No more splitting up."Dave confirmed, "Come on, let's find Alvin."

"No need." Simon stated and pointed up, I gasped when I saw the heavy clock above us move. As I got a second look at it I could make out different colors rather than the reflective metal; I could make out red and brown, the same combination of Alvin's sweater and fur!

"Alvin, get down from there now!" Dave yelled and then added in a whisper, "How did he even get up there?"

"Aha! Sorry, Dave, be down in a minute. This is fun!" Alvin swung the clock back and forth. I heard a faint creaking sound and began to have an instinct fear. Snap! The clock's wire broke and Alvin and the metal death-trap started its way to crush me.

"Eek!" I squeaked waiting for the weight on my shoulders and back. Nothing came.

"Oof." Dave grunted as he caught the clock… And Alvin. He put it down and Alvin sat livid in his hand. Furious, I hopped up on Dave's arm and scolded Alvin.

"Alvin!" I screamed, "You could have killed me!" I motioned to strangle his skinny neck with my hands, but Dave got in the way

"Brittany, as much as Alvin deserves it, you know that's not right. Now Alvin, apologize."

"Sorry, Brit." Alvin said. I could never tell when he was sincere in his apologies, and he made a lot. This wasn't the first time he put my life at risk for some unexplainable reason, and was sure it wouldn't be the last.

"Whatever," I breathed, "Can we go now?" I looked at Dave with tired eyes and he nodded, off to home.

"Are you okay?" Jeanette asked as we exited the mall.

"Perfectly fine." I lied. Lying was easy, but it wasn't something I liked to do, especially to my sisters.

"Oh, are you sure?"

"Yes." That was the last of the matter. Jeanette cared, but I think she tried to make people happy by not pestering them.

"Hello, ladies." I turned my head and watched Alvin smooth-talk a couple of girls parked next to our car. I've seen Alvin do this a lot, I've seen him surrounded by girls at school and even out in public, but this was the first time I've ever felt jealous about it. Wasn't it? Or was my jealousy always just hidden behind my anger? Great, now he has me thinking. He has me jealous, and he has me angry. Five minutes after almost killing me AGAIN and he's off flirting with other girls. Why won't he pay attention to me? I wished he'd flirt with me, even once just to know what it was like, what made him so charming. When I saw him those girls I thought I'd lose it. After everything we've been through together, he hasn't noticed any of the times I've tried to flirt with him? For a ladies man, he was so stupid! I wanted him to be with me, to make ME feel special, not others.

I don't know why I did what I did next, but I did it, out of anger or jealousy or just being sick of waiting for him to do it himself. I ran up to Alvin, dragged him to the side away from the other girls, and stared at him with a fire in my eyes.

"Alvin," I said with a hopefully undetectable lust, "Do you wanna go to dinner with me, on a date?" He looked a little taken aback, his grin fading. Was it surprise or something else? I had no clue what was going through his head, he was always impossible to figure out, but that was one of the things that made him mysterious and I liked it… Most of the time. This was one of the times where I couldn't stand it. He waited to answer as if he wanted to build up the suspense, but I knew he was giving this some real thought. I looked longingly into his hazel eyes, my blue eyes that most thought to be icy softly reflected back to me.

"That sounds really fun." He nodded and smiled and before we could turn back to the car with Dave and our siblings he grabbed my wrist, "Brit, I really am sorry for almost killing you… Again."

"_Now that,"_ I thought, _"was sincere."_


	2. Chapter 2

Alvin's Point of View

"How could she ask me out?" I ranted to my brothers late the day after Brittany asked me out. Our date was later tonight, a Friday (Woo hoo!) and I was freaking out, "She hates me!" Me, Simon, and Theodore sat in out room, if you can call it that. Earlier in the year, Dave requested the Chipette's and our room be separated; he claimed that it was because we were getting older and could use the extra space, but I think it had more to do with Simon and Jeanette dating, so now we lived in the attic. It was a nice attic, but I was stuck in the corner of it, furthest away from the window which always had a nice breeze when we left it open. The attic wasn't dark, not since we got a light installed. We each had our own beds, mine of course cornered, Simon's was closest to the window, and Theodore was off to the side of the room.

"I don't understand why you're freaking out." Simon said and pushed his round, black-rimmed glasses up higher on his slightly-thinner-than-mine face, "Is this not what you wanted?" You finally have your chance with Brittany." I shook my head, wondering how Simon ever got a girlfriend before me. He just didn't understand them the way I do; did Jeanette know his deepest secrets?

"No! The guy always asks the girl out!" I explained.

"Why?" Theodore asked from his bed. I could swear he wasn't really interested, but he gave me a convincing look.

"Look at how I'm reacting!" I shot, "That's why!" Theodore's eyes went wide, I don't know if it was with fear or realization.

"Alvin, you should be glad she took initiative," Simon told me, "If she hadn't, I doubt you'd ever get your chance, especially with the way you're always around other girls." How offensive! Did he just say that if Brittany didn't take charge I never would have gotten a shot with her, the girl of my dreams?

"How could you say that?!" I yelled. I watched Theodore sink into his mattress and tried to calm down, he never liked us fighting.

"I think you're scared." Simon stated.

"What?!" I thought out loud. Scared? What did I have to be scared of? I'm Alvin! I don't get scared, especially by a girl! Simon, being the annoying brainiac that he was, seemed to be reading my mind somehow (How could he be that smart?) and spoke in a haughty manner as if he'd won this argument.

"I think you're scared that Brittany really likes you and that she wants a committed relationship like the one Jeanette and I have." He always liked to rub that in my face. Just because I thought he would never get a girlfriend, he thinks that he can brag about Jeanette to me and that was starting to tick me off.

"Why would she want to go out with me?" I asked and could sense the desperation in my own voice.

"Who's side are you on?" Simon questioned, "Brittany's or your own?" Before I could answer, my baby brother butted in.

"I think he's just nervous." He stated. Me nervous? Ha! That was so funny I forgot to laugh; I could perform in front of millions of people, some (most) being girls that would throw themselves at me, but there was something about Brittany, this one girl, that truly did make me have butterflies in my stomach. Was I really nervous over a date with the very pretty chipette?

"Alvin," Simon put his hand on my shoulder and spoke softly, "take the opportunity that you've been wanting. You like her, give it a shot. The worst that happens is you almost kill her again." Gee, thanks for the encouragement, Si. That did not make me feel better about myself. He was right, though, with all the girls out there waiting for me, here I stood in my room wanting only one, and she was in this house probably getting ready for our date. But why would she want me? What as it about me that she suddenly got all interested in? Could it be a trick? Or was Simon right like always? I started freaking out again over all the confusion and frantically ran around the room. Being the great brothers that they are, Simon and Theodore sat and watched as I tripped over my bed in the darkened corner of the attic.

"Guys," I whined, "my dates in an hour, what am I going to do?"

"You want this to work out, right?" I felt Simon was challenging me, waiting for to truly lose it and go psycho and admit what I really wanted.

"Yes." I muttered, "I would like to go out with Brittany."

"Then you'll have to really wow her on your date."

"Yeah," Theodore added, "make her feel special." Of course, just make her feel special like it was the easiest thing in the world. Theodore's innocence was really starting to get annoying, he tried his best to please everyone, but how on Earth was I supposed to make her feel special?

"Alvin," Simon said (hearing my name again was getting annoying too, it was like he had some kind of superiority over me), "instead of making the date all about you, make it about her." I was starting to get freaked out by how intuitive Simon was getting, it was like he had the superpower to read minds. I was honestly done arguing with them, they won (not that I'll ever admit it).

"Would you guys just help me get ready? I asked in a slight pleading tone, "Please?" Theodore was a sucker for sad eyes and I had him hooked on helping me immediately, Simon on the other paw wasn't so convinced, but after a log puppy dog look he gave in. "So what has to be changed?"

"Everything." My brothers said in unison and before I knew it, they pushed me down the ladder, out of our room, and dragged me into the bathroom sink. I struggled, but they had the numbers gain. One of them tore off my hoodie and the other pushed me down into the sink and closed the drain.

"This might sting a little." Simon stated and turned the faucet for the hot water. Burning liquid bombarded me and I started to scream, cursing that Simon should watch his back, "Oh calm down, it's just a shower." Now he was being a smartypants and I swore to myself that I would get him back, but right now, I was too focused on the water and as it filled up higher to my waist, I began to get used to the heat a little.

"Come on, guys, get me out!" I begged.

"Nope." Theodore simply said and poured in a bunch of liquid soap which landed both in the water and over my head, "Now scrub until you're clean." Looks like I had no choice, with a rag that Simon dropped in, I scrubbed with the soapy water in my soapy fur and rinsed by diving under.

"Don't forget your tail." Simon mocked, "And behind your ears."

"Shut up." I grumbled.

I looked pitiful. My fur was wet and matted and I smelled soapy, my brothers snickered behind me as I pouted. I was surprised the mirror I was looking through didn't crack. Was this really going to impress Brittany or were my brothers just pulling the wool over my eyes? I dried my fur roughly, trying to get every last cursed drop of water, but in the end, it was still damp. We hopped back up to our room where I found my clothing. I reached for my red hoodie with a yellow "A" on it, but Simon slapped my hand.

"What do you think you're doing?" He interrogated.

"Grabbing something to wear," I informed, "clothes tend to be classy for a date."

"This date is special, wear something nice." Simon walked over to my dresser and pulled it open; he grabbed my black jacket and red tie.

"That's for when I perform." I said.

"Well it's also the nicest thing you own." I was forced to spread my arms and sighed as my brother wrapped the jacket around me and nearly choked me with the tie.

"Simon, I swear, if you put make-up on me, I will strangle you." I mumbled.

"You might want to work on your attitude for your date." He replied, "Most girls aren't very interested in killers. And you should work on your table manners." He stared at me and squinted, "Hmm, one last touch." Suddenly I felt something cold and wet hit me from behind and afterwards the room filled with a strange odor.

"Ahh! What the heck was that?"

"Perfume," Theodore said, holding onto the bottle, "I got it from Dave's room."

"Perfume?!" I freaked.

"Relax," Simon attempted to calm me down, "It's cologne, perfume for guys." That didn't help, I still felt like a dress-up doll. I couldn't describe the scent, some kind of musky odor that did it's best to find it's way up my nose, cologne was strong. I checked the clock, fifteen minutes before my date with Brittany. This had better be worth it.

"What are you two going to converse about?" Simon asked.

"I don't know… The food? Us?" What did people usually talk about on first dates? I never actually got that far. The food would be a good start, Eleanor said she would cook the meal specially for us.

"You may need to practice that."

"What do you mean?" I said, getting suspicious as to what Simon had in store next.

"Have a seat." He pointed over to my bed and I did as I was told without argument, this torture would end soon enough, "Now, Theodore is going to pretend to be Brittany, and I want you to have a nice conversation with her."

"Are you insane?" I screeched already knowing the answer.

"How do you think I feel?" Theodore mumbled, "Alvin, you better be happy after this."

"Begin." Simon ordered.

"Um," I stuttered and stared at Theodore, "Brittany… You look really, um, nice?" I had to admit, Theodore played his part really well, he even got himself to blush and he spoke in a higher, girly voice.

"Oh, why thank you Alvin… Tee hee." Poor Theodore looked so uncomfortable, the exact way I felt, "Have you been working out?" He clenched his teeth and fists, "You… Look… Really… Good…"

"Okay, Simon, this is just unsettling!" I exclaimed and pushed Theodore away, "Brittany is much different than that!"

"I thought I did pretty well." My youngest brother piped up. I rolled my eyes and my heart sank when I saw the time; five minutes until my date.

"Wish me luck." I groaned and left the attic without waiting for a reply. As I stepped down the final stair of the ladder, I ran into Jeanette who had a goofy smile on her face.

"Rehearsing your date, are you?" She laughed and ran up the ladder. I ignored her and continued down the stairs.

"_Easy, Alvin."_ I thought to myself, _"Be a gentleman and everything will turn out fine."_ I hopped down each step and with each landing, the nauseating pain in my stomach got worse. How was I supposed to eat? I didn't have the best table manners and I was the exact opposite of hungry! I walked into the living room and met up with Brittany. She really did look beautiful; she wore the pink dress that Dave got her for her birthday and her hair was in it's soft ponytail. I was breathless. Her eyes were soft and her tail, fluffy.

"Ready?" She asked quietly. For once I was speechless and I could only nod which made her giggle. As I got closer to her, I could smell the perfume she wore and it reminded me of strawberries. We stepped into the kitchen, where our date would take place, and gasped at the well prepared meal Eleanor laid out.


	3. Chapter 3

Brittany's Point of View

"Mm, can you believe Eleanor set all this up?" Alvin spoke between small bites of the delicate souffle my sister graciously cooked for us.

"Yes, she's a really great cook." I smiled and took a small nibble. I really wasn't in the mood for food. My appetite escaped me right before I met up with Alvin and I swear I wasn't nervous, but if food was the way to Alvin's heart and the easiest way to have a conversation with him than I was all for it. The souffle was divine, light and fluffy, and the presentation of the dinner as a whole was outstanding. Elli really went all out. High candles of various colors burned with a calm, orange flame, and a vase with a single violet in it sat in the middle as the table masterpiece. Jeanette's violet. That simple flower has had more to do with love and relationships than I have. It was the whole reason my sister got her chance with Simon.

Alvin seemed more interested in the food than with me, but I couldn't really blame him, the food was great. Other than the delicious souffle, Eleanor laid out glasses filled with soda (she must have found where Dave hid it) and small bits of chocolate sat in a bowl on one side of the table and on the other a bowl of fruits and vegetables. No wonder Alvin was mesmerized by the food more than me… Or maybe he just didn't like me. After-all, the first date was meant to get to know one another; at least, that's what one of my magazines said. I was hoping it was just the food, but I had a plan to get his attention; the power of conversation.

"So, Alvin," I began and he looked up from his plate, "You smell really nice."

"You like it?" He questioned as if he didn't, "It's perfume for guys, not a big fan of it." I think he meant cologne, but I really did like it; it gave him a strong, masculine scent. One that stuck in my nose and made me think of him and how bold he could be. "You smell really nice, too." He added and inhaled through his nose deeply. It made me giggle, this wasn't the first time I wore this perfume and I wondered why he was just noticing it now. Oh well, not important; if I wanted this date to go well I had to focus on him, but it was so hard. I wanted to get to the point, I wanted to know if he would date me, make me the special one. I'd do anything for him. Well, almost anything… Maybe.

"Um, what do you look for in a girlfriend?" I asked and his first response was giving me a deranged look; I'd have thought he'd heard this question before.

"Well," He started and his eyes went wide like he had an idea in mind, "She has to be very pretty. And she needs a good sense of style and a caring heart." I blushed a little, I could feel it, my cheeks burning and I tried to hide it. I was certain I had those qualities; I was obviously pretty (surely pretty enough for him) and everyone usually came to me for fashion statements. "Why do you ask? And since we're on the subject, what made you ask me out so suddenly?"

"W-What?" I spat, getting caught by surprise with his sudden interest.

"Well," He sipped his soda, "we've known each other for, like, ever and not once have you shown any romantic interests in me. Why?"

"_Maybe if you payed attention." _I thought, _"you'd realize my lust." _I only smiled through my thought. "Oh, I, uh…" Think think think! "I made a bet." I lied. Ugh! Dummy! What was wrong with me? Lying was never the right thing to do on a date! It would get me absolutely nowhere. What was it that made me lie to this cute, masculine smelling chipmunk?

"Oh." His grin faded and his ears lowered_. _He was feeling something, but it wasn't joy. We both sipped at our drinks at the same time… Awkward… We sat there in silence and played with our food. Something was up, Alvin was never this quiet. His eyes were glassy and I could almost see the wheels in his head turning. Whatever he was thinking about, it took him away from our date.

"Are you okay, Alvin?" I asked when he stuffed his napkin in his mouth, jeez was he ever out of it. His cheeks puffed out and I don't think he even noticed until I pointed it out. What was on his mind? I needed to know, he usually said whatever popped into his head in one way or another, why was he quiet now? Was it something I did? Something I said?

"Hm?" He mumbled and swallowed, "Blah! I thought Eleanor was a great cook; what is this?" I couldn't help it, I burst out laughing.

"That was your napkin!" I laughed, gasping for air. Through my tear-filled eyes I could see him blush and I almost felt bad for him. Almost, but it was too funny. For the first time on the date I relaxed, my tense muscles soothing with each gasp of laughter. I didn't feel the need to make him mine, it was all going so well it was like I didn't need to. But did he think the same way? I laughed at his embarrassment and we made small talk. It wasn't really important, but it was still talk.

"Hey, Brit?" Alvin uttered and I did my best to calm any remaining laughter. He sounded so serious so suddenly, not something I heard from him often. "There's something that's been bothering me and I don't know how to solve it, can you help?"

"Um, okay," I said, "What is it?" What made his reaction change so suddenly? Was he having regrets or just the opposite; did he have a confession?

"I've been wanting-"

"ALVIN!" Dave yelled from upstairs and made me jump. Really? What the heck! NOW?

"Alvin, what did you do?" I asked, upset that we got interrupted.

"What do you mean 'what did you do'?" He retorted, "I've been here with you this entire time!"Duh! Why was Dave yelling then? Asked, and answered; Dave bolted down the steps and forced Alvin up like an officer at military school. I sighed and followed them up the stairs; so close to actually getting to hear what Alvin thought, discover what was going through his head, what he thought about me.

"Care to explain yourself?" Dave speculated and pushed open the door to the bathroom and in that instant, flowing water poured out. It flooded the floor and the mixed scents of Alvin's cologne and soap filled the air, powered by the muggy steam the fogged every smooth surface visible. It was like a sauna.

"Heh heh, whoops." Alvin hushed and then his voice rose into a shout, "SIMON! THEODORE!" At once, his brothers came down from the attic. My sisters followed behind them from the direction of our own room.

"What happened?" Eleanor asked and Simon's eyes went wide when he saw the bathroom, muttering something under his breath. His ocean eyes told the story, Alvin didn't do this, not alone at least. Either way, this was going to be a big punishment for the Chipmunks.

"I was getting ready with the help of Simon and Theo." Alvin grumbled. What on Earth did he do to get ready? What was wrong with a change of clothes and a spritz of cologne? Alvin and his brothers flooded the bathroom… Smooth.

"Inside. Now!" Dave demanded, getting the just of what happened, "You three will clean this room until it sparkles. Alvin gave me a solemn look, an apologetic look, his eyes said he was sorry, but they also showed annoyance. With his head down, he stumbled into the bathroom with his brothers (they could practically swim) and got to work. "Sorry, girls," Dave said, "You can talk to them later."

"Didn't you turn off the water when you were done rinsing?" I heard Simon contradict his older brother.

"You dragged me there in the first place!" Alvin argued, "Besides, you're so smart and I'm so irresponsible!"

"Alvin, it's common sense! You wash, you rinse, you turn OFF the water and then you dry off." I could hear splashing sounds. "Hey!" More splooshes.

"Girls, can you please go to your room? Dave asked politely, "And shut your door. Just for a few minutes while they… Work out their differences." We obliged, but I doubt any of us were happy about it.

"Ugh!" I groaned and dropped on my bed.

"So…" Jeanette started in her shy little way, "How did the date go?" I glared at my sister and did my best to speak softly.

"Perfectly awkward until he was FINALLY going to tell me something I actually wanted to know. The brainiac couldn't remember to turn the tap, could he? That's how the date went!" I ranted.

"Oh." Jeanette flinched, "Sorry I asked." She quietly lay on her bed with a book. I knew I should apologize, she didn't do anything, she didn't deserve to be yelled at. Jeanette was only trying to help get things off my mind. I'd apologize later, when my anger calmed. I couldn't help but wonder what Alvin was going to say. What was it he wanted? Was it me? Sure, he agreed to go on this date with me, but did that also mean he wanted me? Why were boys so confusing?

"Did you at least get to enjoy the food?" Eleanor asked. Up until now I'd completely ignored the fact that Alvin and I were actually having somewhat of a good time with great food. I smiled and nodded and she sighed happily. "Good, now to just clean it up." Was she kidding? I couldn't let her do that! She was great enough to prepare the whole meal and even set the table while I sat back and got ready. The least I could do was clean up after myself, something Alvin and his brothers needed to learn.

"Don't you dare, Elli!" I threatened, "It's my mess and I'll be the one to clean it up."She attempted to follow me out of our room and down the stairs, but I denied her any access. She would relax even if it was going to kill her.

The candles were short and their flames, out. Melted wax filled their small holders. Jeanette's violet was unmoving in it's vase as cold and dull as the date was now, but still standing tall.

"_Whoops."_ I thought. Our plates were almost empty so I decided to just throw them into the sink. Luckily, Dave only let us use plastic dishes, and for this very reason too. I threw the bowls and cutlery and stuffed any extra food in the garbage. I noticed our drinks were still half full. Knowing Alvin, he'd have worked up a thirst by now even with all the fresh floor water for him to drink. I sighed, but I knew that if I didn't go back all the way upstairs, I'd miss a chance to speak with Alvin. I couldn't let this opportunity slip away. Back up the stairs, I took turns placing the glasses up on the next step before jumping. The bathroom door was open and the carpet was soaked. The steam in the bathroom was cleared and most of the scent had lingered out into the hallway. The bathroom floor was still flooded and I griped onto the glasses in my hands, thinking I'd slip any moment.

"Careful," Simon warned, noticing me first, "Alvin has yet to clean up the water."

"That was your fault and you know it!" Alvin snapped and chucked a bunch of small towels on the floor, "Hey, Brit. What are you doing up here?"

"I thought you'd be thirsty," I explained, "plus, we didn't exactly get to finish." I watched Alvin glare at his bespectacled brother and then refocus his attention back on me.

"Thanks." He accepted the drink. There was more, I knew he sensed it. We were not done talking.

"Alvin," I said, wondering where to begin, "what were you going to ask me before we were interrupted? What was it you wanted?"

"Oh." He chattered nervously, "I just wanted mmf." He burried his muzzle into his glass, muffling his words.

"Don't be so childish." Simon said and gave Alvin a brotherly shove. I don't think he intended for his brother to slip, but he did. Alvin slipped back and forth and finally glided towards me. I reflexively caught him in an embrace, all the while not trying to spill my drink. Even if the slip was an accident, I liked it, this turned into an Alvin hug and it was nice and warm. It was soft; hypnotizing. My head spun and I didn't want to let go.

"Thank you." Alvin coughed, "but I could have caught myself." Oh, I'm so sure!

"Aw, is your ego hurt?" I tormented, "You owe me an answer, Munk." I could see Simon laughing in the background. "And you, mister know-it-all, clean up your mess!" His smile faded, but never died, Simon began drying up all the water he could with Theodore's help. I turned back to Alvin, "Well?"

"I was going to ask if… If…"

"_Spit it out!" _I screamed in my head. This was absolute torture!

"Brittany…" He smiled nervously, he never did that, "Would you like to be my girlfriend?" Ask me in a bathroom, how charming, but I didn't care, Alvin wanted me! Excitement tried to take over my movements, I wanted to throw myself at him, but naturally, I kept my cool.

"Hmm," I said; it was his turn to be tortured. "I think… Maybe…" He twitched and I knew he had enough, "Yes." 'a giant smile creeped it's way onto my boyfriend's (EEK!) face.

"Really?" He asked simply, dumbfounded. Idiot probably thought he was dreaming.

"Are you trying to get me to turn you down?" I shot.

"No no!… It's just; I'm actually really happy right now. I can't speak," He shared, "You have no idea how happy I am." We both smiled and I raised my glass.

"A toast?" I asked. He linked our drinking arms like the bride and groom would at a wedding and raised his drink to is mouth.

"A toast." He said, and I drank the remainder of the bubbly soda.


	4. Chapter 4

Alvin's Point of View

Saturday! FINALLY, after the last week of school before Winter Holidays, I was free from the endless boredom of monotone teachers lecturing me about something a rock star will never need. And the best part about this whole thing was that I got to spend the Holidays with Brittany. Nothing seemed better than drinking eggnog and opening presents with the love and comfort of my girlfriend. I wasn't used to saying that; I have a girlfriend, and her name is Brittany. She isn't the smartest, and she admits it, but she is talented and pretty and serious about being in a relationship with me, no matter how much we argued. When we argued, usually it was about what now sounded like stupid things, but now we argued about couple stuff. Earlier in the week, she got angry at me for talking to some other girls like they were a threat or something. The amount with which we argued hadn't changed and sometimes it made me wonder; were things really that different from before we started dating? I thought I knew the answer: we now knew how the other felt. We both knew that we liked the other.

I guess I had to give Simon and Theodore some credit, even thought they not only violated me, but they were also the reason for flooding the bathroom upstairs. We wouldn't be able to use it for at least another week! It didn't matter though, because Dave had a surprise that if I had a million guesses I never would have guessed.

"Everyone get packed." Dave said a couple days after the bathroom flood.

"For what?" Simon had asked and at the time I considered the idea that he had arranged for us all to go to a military school.

"We're not spending Christmas at home this year." Dave explained, "I rented a nice cabin where we can spend Christmas together. Its in the country further north where there's snow." At first, I wasn't sure what to think. I was excited, I'd never actually gotten to play in snow before. But now I was a little nervous, if I got in trouble, than Dave could leave me there and I'd have to fend for myself.

"Alvin," I heard the sweet call of my chipette, "come on, we're leaving." Everyone was tired; we had to get up early so we'd have the rest of the day to explore our home for the next three weeks. Theodore yawned and looked like he was sleepwalking… Into the door. I was sure he would wake up as excited as I was when we got to our destination. We'd actually get to play in the snow! I wondered what it would be like. Would it be fluffy like a blanket the way some of my teachers described it, or would it be rock solid? There was only one thing anyone in my family could agree on: It would be cold, even for a chipmunk with fur to cover his (or her) entire body. I ran over to the rest of the group as Dave continued checking off his list.

"Extra clothes… "He started, "Coats… sleeping bags… wrapped presents… Everyone here?" He took a quick head count before grabbing everything, "Alright, let's get moving!" He was too chipper in the morning…

It was a long car ride. So far, we've been driving for an hour, and we had at least another two to go. The sun was barely creeping out over the light pink horizon and the rest if the sky remained a darker shade of blue or purple. We were certainly out of the city, but had yet to see any terrain with a simple sheet of snow. I wanted to be awake when that first sheet. However, sleep threatened me with every tree we drove past -about every half second- and I had no choice but to stop holding myself up to the window and to sit back in the seat.

"What do you think it'll be like?" Brittany asked, creeping up to me. Her sisters had fallen asleep as had my brothers. Theodore band Eleanor leaned against one another as pillows, and Jeanette had her head in Simon's lap, who lay back against the seat peacefully, caressing Jeanette's shoulder.

"Really cold." I stated, thinking she was referring to the snow and country.

"No, silly; the cabin! Can't you picture it?" Her eyes went glassy and she described her daydream, "One in the woods, calm and private, one that's cozy, but big enough to dance around in. What a way to spend Christmas!" I stared at her blankly, she had just answered her own question for me, and I just nodded in agreement. Truthfully, I was more interested in the fun we could have in the snow; more specifically, snowballs. Other kids at school, when I brought up going away, told me about snowball fights and how serous, but fun they could be, especially with ice. I was not going to miss out on that. "You look anxious." Brittany giggled when I looked out the top of the window again.

"Aren't you?"

"Mhm." She nodded and snuggled up against me, taking my arm and wrapping it around her body like a blanket. I had no idea where to go from here. Sure, I was known as a ladies man, but I've never actually been with a girl. I knew what I could do to make her feel special, but placing that plan into action was harder in real life. Brittany was incredible, and I was immobilized. I didn't know what I was thinking or doing, I forgot everything I knew about girls at that moment.

"Uh, Britt? What are you doing?" No no no! I did not just say that did I?!

"Snuggling…" She said and moved away, "Sorry, I didn't know you were uncomfortable with it." There was a sadness in her voice that killed a part of me inside, a disappointment that made me cringe.

"I'm not uncomfortable with it." I said quietly and patted the spot next to me, hoping she'd take the hint to return to the snuggling. Luckily she did without hesitation. What was wrong with me? Why couldn't I be my usual cool self around her? She was no different than before, what was I scared of? As her breathing slowed and softened, so did these thoughts. Maybe I was just being too hard on myself, but if I wasn't, who would be? I would not be my own worst enemy. Soon she was sleeping in my arm with her head resting on my chest. _'What are you doing?'_ I-d-i-o-t! Obviously she wanted to snuggle. Clearly I was just off my game from lack of sleep. I slid my eyes closed and instantly tuned everything out.

"Everyone wake up!" Dave's voice was barely audible, to me anyway, "We're here."

"What?" I yawned and Brittany stood up groggily, leaving my arm numb. It tingled as blood rushed through it again.

"I said we're here." Dave repeated and stepped out of the car and opened our own door like a butler would. The second a crack appeared, giving us fresh air, I wish he'd left the door closed. A cold gust of wind forced it's way through and jolted me awake. "Come on, guys, don't you want to see the cabin and play in the snow?" He sounded exactly like a parent who thought they knew how to coax their kids into doing something they didn't want to do; yeah, like I'd fall for that. I was going to stay right here in this car, warm as a sock. Everyone cowered behind me, fumbling over each other as they tried to get further away from the cold. "It'll be warmer in the cabin." He stated, catching my attention. Hoping to look brave in front of Brittany, I took the first initiative; I walked up slowly to the opening, the cold wind streaking against my body and piercing through my red hoodie.

"C-Come on," My teeth chattered, "Munk up. It doesn't even look that bad." I looked down out the door and into the fresh, pure white snow and that alone made me feel frozen. Jumping in like a pool seemed pretty stupid right about now and I didn't think that a snowball fight was an option.

"Go on, Alvin." Brittany challenged, "Since you're so brave, you can jump in first." The combination of her grinning and shivering at the same time ingrained itself in my mind. What choice did I have? Like a fool, I hesitated, and that was my downfall; Brittany walked up behind me, knowing I wouldn't move, and shoved me out if the car.

COLD! I was half buried in snow and already, ice started to form on my exposed fur. Dashing up out of my snow grave, I made my way up Dave's leg, past his torso and onto his shoulder, brushing myself off along the way. He gave me a disapproving look, but I ignored him as I got my first view of the cabin. Snow-covered trees surrounded the area, but not enough to be a forest. The cabin itself was secure from any other company, no other buildings stood by, and it was made of full logs. Windows stood on either side of the front door and the shape of the cabin made it look like a cool bungalow. Two areas in front of the building were patchy, I guessed they were where the actual owner planted a garden. It looked very homey, kinda like how Brittany described it. Another blast of air hit me and I'd had enough.

"Dave, it's a little chilli," I complained, "and… The others want to go inside."He rolled his eyes and carried us all to the door and inside. As quickly as I'd gotten cold, I'd gotten warm. The cabin's warmth was amazing as it fended off the outside.

"Wow!" Everyone gasped and was set down at the first sight of the interior of the war, (so so warm) cabin. There had been work done on the inside, the walls had been changed for a more interesting design rather than continuing with the log look. The mahogany walls were layered with framed pictures of scenery. To the left of the entrance was an open area with a fireplace that made the whole room feel homey, and to the right was a hallway.

"Care to see the rest, guys?" Dave asked, having already moved down the hallway. I followed slowly with my brothers and the Chipettes behind and widened my eyes at the next room.

"There's a hot-tub?" Jeanette exclaimed; at the end of the hallway was a huge room with not only a bubbling hot-tub, but also everything we'd need to have fun inside; a snack-filled cupboard, a mini-fridge filled with what some would call drinks, but what I would call a wet prank, and a view of the frozen lake behind the cabin.

Another small hallway trailed off the dream room leading to the kitchen and off of that, the bedrooms. There were two and like half a year ago, Dave had his own separate room while we got stuck in the same room, the only difference: the room we shared had only one queen sized bed. This gave me doubts that we would be getting any sleep.

Being outside seemed so different with cold weather and the crunching of snow beneath my feet. With no shoes, we could only stay out for so long before our feet froze off. I watched Brittany trudge through the mountains of snow in her smooth pink coat and I laughed as she sunk.

"Shut up." She glared at me, her eyes colder than the snow and striking me more-so than the wind. "Stop being a baby and get your butt in here."

"You can't make me." I said, glancing over at the lake. She was very controlling. I never brought it up for fear of argument, but it was really annoying and really, we argued enough.

"What's wrong, chicken?" She challenged me again.

"You can't make me go there… DAVE!" I countered.

"Excuse me?!" Angry girlfriend… What to do; turn on the charm and smooth-talk my way out or pretend she's right about whatever we started fighting about and surrender? I didn't get the chance to do either because by the time I made up my mind I had a handful of snow in my face. Through my snowy vision I watched Brittany turn valiantly towards Simon and Jeanette, who were dancing in the snow, their blue and purple coats making a dark indigo. No way could I let her get the best of me. I buried my paws deep in the snow, and ripped a formed snowball from it. My paws were already getting numb as I held the snowball, the numbness made me throw it more than my needing payback. The packed snow landed right on the back of Brittany's head. I wasn't sure if I'd regret that or not, but I knew I'd find out soon. She turned around with her face red with anger and she looked at the bespectacled couple, both of which nodded and grabbed a snowball.


	5. Chapter 5

Brittany's Point of View

One of Alvin's arms was slung around my shoulder, limp, with the other around Simon's, and together we dragged my thick-headed boyfriend inside the cabin. He didn't stand a chance in the snowball fight that he wanted so so much. He wanted one, he got one, and now here he was. After barraging him with our first round of snowballs, he was finished. I guess he had no idea how active we -Me, Simon, and Jeanette- could really be.

"What happened?" Theodore asked with a slight edge in his voice that showed that he was used to asking that question. We dropped Alvin down in front of the fireplace that was set ablaze with a golden flame and took off our coats. By the looks of the room, decorations tossed everywhere and Dave man-handling a tree, Theodore was "helping" set up for Christmas. The tree was tiny, being able to fit in the car with us, but it was still big enough to climb which made it the perfect size. The tree looked fake, but I could still smell the fresh, wild pine and thought it just came naturally from our position.

"Save yourself, Theo." Alvin shivered, "or you'll be their next victim."

"You look cold." Theodore simply stated, completely ignoring Alvin's "warnings" and he then gave me a look of confusion, "Why not go in the hot-tub?"

"Great idea!" Dave explained, "Once you kids are done warming up, you can help with the tree." Before Dave could even finish his sentence, Alvin bolted down the hall, leaving me to stumble behind him. Forgetting about our clothes, we dove into the hot pool of bubbling water. The warm sensations of the water that relaxed all of my muscles broke through the barrier that my fur created and touched my skin, relieving me of all the stress Alvin caused. I closed my eyes and listened to the sounds of three other splashes. Okay, I know math wasn't really my thing, but by my count, there was only five of us in the tub. Who were we missing?

"Theodore," Eleanor brought up, "Aren't you going to come in?" My eyes opened and searched for the large body that sat on the edge of the hot-tub. Theodore had his head down, his ears drooped, and his eyes closed; for a second I thought he'd ignore Eleanor's question.

"Oh… No thank you." He stuttered.

"Didn't you want to?"

"Yeah," Alvin broke in, "You were the one who suggested it. Have a little fun."

"I changed my mind." Theodore replied. I knew he was a little self-conscious about his weight, but that never stopped him from doing something he wanted before. In fact, he never acted like this unless something was wrong. "I'll just keep watch so no one drowns." Jeez, was he ever depressed. We argued, saying that it wouldn't be as fun without him in, but he rejected any invitations we could offer. We were right, it wasn't the same without little Theo. Without him, Eleanor swam still, unable to enjoy herself to the fullest. The most we could do was splash around with little floaters until finally my sisters and Simon stepped out, dripping wet and strode through the hall to help with the tree set-up. We were left alone, me and Alvin, stuck with each others company. That was a good thing, right? Right, but onl until he opened his big mouth.

"You're not very good at snowball fights." Alvin said with a tired smirk.

"Don't even go there!" I threatened, "You lost fair and square."

"Three against one isn't fair!" He argued.

"But you fired first, Mr. 'I'm so 'I'm so awesome'!" I retorted. His arguing was getting on my last nerve and I knew I had to shut him up, "More like Mr. Chicken."

"Only a chicken calls others chicken!"

"A chicken would know! Only cowards fire first, and at a girl too!" I swear I saw his eye twitch when I called him a coward; that was the easy way to win an argument, however it also had it's risk of starting a whole new fight.

"Only a coward would call me a coward!"

"Are you calling me a coward?" I swam closer like a shark would to its next meal, "First you call me Dave, then a chicken, now a coward?!"

"Prove me wrong." He smirked.

"Alright, Munk," I raised my voice, "name any one thing and I guarantee that I can do it BETTER than you!" He grinned his evil grin, the one that made me think he was literally an evil genius, and for the first time I thought about what I'd just gotten myself into. My anger got the best of me; I'd have to follow through with whatever he dared me to do.

"Hmph, okay," He said, looking around. He stopped and stared out the window and at the frozen lake, "Let's go skating."

Not my brightest hour, agreeing to Alvin to go skating on a frozen lake. After decorating the tree and after Dave goes to bed, that is when we find out who's braver. Decorating the tree wasn't that bad, but my thoughts were on other things. What if Dave found out? What if the ice caved in while one of us was on it? We'd be dead; for both of those answers, we would die. I carefully place on another random decoration in a random spot and while in my own separate state, ended up telling my sisters about the dare.

"Are you insane?!" They whispered sharply when Dave packed everything we didn't put up, "You can't do that!"

"Relax, girls." I attempted to comfort them, "I'll be fine. It's not like anything bad can happen." I didn't believe my own words. I knew there were risks, but I couldn't let Alvin get the best of me. "Why don't you come out and watch? You know, for moral support." They agreed, but they didn't look happy about it.

"Okay, everyone, time for bed." Dave ordered sleepily and walked down the hall, further and further, into his own room.

"You told them?!" Alvin said, outraged at the fact that I couldn't keep a secret from my own sisters.

"Don't be mad, think of them as judges to see who's braver."

"They're your sisters, of course they'll think you're braver." He turned towards his brothers, who were already laying down on their spots on the bed, "If you get your sisters, then I get my brothers." He held out his hand, "Deal?"

"Deal." I agreed quietly.

Late at night, me and Alvin woke up and shook our siblings awake.

"What do you want, Alvin?" Simon yawned.

"You guys are coming outside with us to help judge our little bet." Alvin replied, getting right to the point.

"No."

"Yes, now come on!" Alvin dragged his younger brother out from under the sheets and rolled him around to wake him. Simon only grunted. Surely he'd seen something like this coming. Theodore was silent, but came nonetheless. My own siblings woke with ease, but hesitated as we began our descent outside.

"What is this bet?" Simon asked as we all got our coats on over our nightwear.

"We're going skating to see who's braver." Alvin stated.

"What?! Alvin, you can't do that! It isn't safe!" This got me worried, Simon didn't think this was a good idea either, and I knew what he meant by this wasn't safe.

"Relax, nothing's gonna happen." That was all Alvin said before we climbed out the window and headed toward the frosty lake.

What on Earth was I thinking?! I knew I had my doubts, but this was ridiculous! I couldn't do this, it was way to dangerous. I quivered as we approached the iced water with our siblings slowly behind us. I couldn't go on that! The ice didn't look that strong, what could any of us do if it caved in on me or Alvin? I'd be a goner. No… I couldn't let fear get in the way; I would win this. I would show Alvin that I'm braver, end the argument, and most of all: get him to shut up. If Alvin won, he'd be all over it for weeks.

We agreed that each of us would only have to skate for a few minutes, that's all the time we'd need, then we'd head back inside into the warm cabin and under the even warmer covers of the soft, warm bed. Thinking of warm thoughts while in the cold was not working… The wind wasn't blowing, but still I froze. The natural cold of the night air was more than enough to make my fur stand and see my own breath. Jeanette and Eleanor shivered beside Theodore while Simon just sat back with a look of disapproval painted across his face.

"I really think you shouldn't do this," He warned, "The ice looks like it might cave in." Simon, SHUT UP! I'm scared enough, I don't need you saying one of us will likely drown!

"Lighten up, Si." Alvin spoke so calm, it was like he'd done this a million times, "It's had all this time to freeze and on a cold night like this, we'll be perfectly fine." Simon only scowled, but softened when Jeanette clung to him for warmth.

"Ugh… Just hurry up and don't do anything else stupid."Alvin rolled his eyes and I figured Simon took it as an approval. It was time to begin; close to midnight, almost the middle of winter, skating on a seemingly frozen lake with a slight chance of death, nothing had a definite answer tonight.

"You made the challenge," I nodded towards Alvin, "You go first." Without hesitation, he jumped on the ice and slipped around before regaining his balance. I heard his claws scrape across the frozen land that his skated across and I slowly eased up as time went by. He began to get cocky, skating backwards and spinning around in circles.

"Whoo hoo!" He shouted at the top of his lungs, "This is fun!" I was simply being mocked. As he slid farther out from the shore, I thought I could hear faint crackling sounds from the ice, kind of like bubble-wrap except not as loud or sudden. Maybe it was just my imagination, but either way I tensed.

"Please be careful." I whispered and noticed Simon look at me. Without turning to his brother, he spoke.

"Alvin, your time's up." He said, "And I'll be right back." He ran off before we could ask any questions, but not in the direction of the cabin.

"Your turn." Alvin said with a cocky smile, "Unless you're scared." Truthfully, nothing scared me more than falling through the lake and having the last thing I see be the blackness of the water. Fear flowed through every inch of my body, but it also pushed me to go on with the bet. I would not let Alvin have his victory. I shoved him as I made my way on the ice, going out further than he had. I shook, but not because I was cold, and I hoped no one noticed. The further out I went, the colder I got and the more the little voice inside my head told me to go back. Oddly enough, it sounded like the annoying responsible sound Simon made before we started.

"Be careful!" Jeanette and Eleanor shouted. Gee, thanks for encouragement… I flinched when I thought I heard the crackling sound again, my heart skipping a beat and leaving me paranoid with the thought of dying so instantly. I could sense everyone's fear along with my own. I turned my head back towards the crowd; my sisters, paw in paw as they gave me fearful looks with frightened eyes. I wish I could tell them I was fine, but the words clumped in my throat. Simon was returning from wherever he ran off to, dragging a large stick behind him, and I quietly joked that it was to hit Alvin with. Theodore shook more than usual in these situations, probably from the cold, and Alvin's cockiness was diminished. I expected to see him with his stupid smile or to show little interest in how long I was lasting, thinking he'd already won. But instead his eyes were glued to me with a strong intensity that made me forget he was a joker. The seriousness in his face told me that something was wrong and it had nothing to do with our little bravery bet.

"Brittany, I think you should get off the ice." He stammered. Was he serious or was this a stupid trick?

"Why?" I asked, "Scared that I'll beat you? Want me to get off so you can say you're braver?" More crackling shuddered my ears and I was dumb enough to ignore it.

"Brit, you win. Just please get off the ice." He was begging me? What got into him all of a sudden? He even admitted I won! Something was wrong, I needed to get off the ice like he said. Before I could react, a huge snap broke my eardrums and before I knew it, the cold blackness of the water consumed me.


	6. Chapter 6

Alvin's Point of View

My heart sank along with the body that disappeared before my eyes. Everything happened in just a split second and now Brittany was panicking; wave upon small wave splashed out of the hole in the iced lake as she suppressed the urge to sink, to go under and eventually drown. I wasn't sure if she was a good swimmer or not or if her coat was pulling her down, but either way she was losing this fight against the current. I was too petrified to do anything, I could see, I couldn't feel. It was like being in a dark tunnel with only a dim light at the end that couldn't be made out. Brittany was the light, but I was still inside, unable to tell which way was which. The only sounds that filled my ears were Brittany's chokes as water tried to make it's way into her body and the ringing of the snap the ice made before she fell. She tried to get herself away from the threat of drowning, but slamming her arms up and down was doing her no good. I couldn't move, no matter how much I tried, paralyzed with the nightmarish thought of never seeing her again… Alive. I couldn't live with that; I couldn't live knowing that this whole thing was my fault. If I wasn't so selfishly caught up in my image, hoping I could look like the munk she deserved, she wouldn't be in trouble and I could actually act like the right guy for her.

"Alvin!" Simon yelled, snapping me out of my trance, "Help!" He and the others were carrying the large stick he'd found and were trying to balance the tip in the water for Brittany to grab while hopefully not letting the stick sink with her.

"I don't think she can reach!" Eleanor shouted.

"Hold on," Simon said, "Brittany, if you can hear me, grab the stick!" The four of them were slipping and I knew I had to react fast. Brittany's chokes were only getting worse as she splashed about, blinded by the water. Inches away from the stick and as much as our siblings tried, it wasn't fast enough. Brittany began to sink and within a second, her whole body was under water.

"No!" I screamed and quickly took off my sweater, jumping in without thinking. I'm not sure if was pure instinct that drove me to jump or if I was desperate (likely both) but either way I dove into the freezing water praying that she was okay. I wasn't much of a swimmer and at first I splashed around like Brittany had with the cold water seeping into me like oil, but after treading for a minute I got my bearings and was able to calm down.

It took me a while to realize what I'd done; risking my own life for a chance to save Brittany's. I'd have to willingly go under, hold my breath, and swim back up before I lost my breath or Brittany's. If she drowned, I'd hate myself. What if I couldn't reach her in time? What if she was so deep I couldn't reach her at all? And if I got stuck, we'd both be dead.

"_What's wrong with you?!"_ I thought, _"That's your girlfriend! You can't leave her for dead!" _Angry with myself, I ignored everyone's cries telling me to get out and forced myself to go under. I snapped my eyes open, letting the water sting my eyes and resisted the need to open my mouth to scream or breathe. The water shocked my body, my face, my eyes. I doubted they would adjust; through blurred vision I focused on the pink and brown blob that continued to jerk and swam for it. As I approached her, I could feel air bubble extract from her now open mouth and float up to the top of the lake. Her mouth was open… She was drowning. It was like she was being strangled. She held her throat and flailed with her eyes tightly shut. When I tried to grab her hand she jerked away like I was a danger. More bubbles fired from her mouth and slowly her struggling ceased. Good sign or bad sign? I answered my own question when she started sinking further, floating in the midst of the water and without movement. _"Don't worry, Brit. I'm coming." _

With every fiber of my body I kicked my feet as hard as possible, pushing me down. It was easier grabbing her hand when she wasn't jerking about. She no longer held her throat, letting the water fill her lungs. Time was out, I had to get to the surface fast. I had her extra weight to carry up, not to mention the pressure of the water. I kicked with all my might and finally reached the surface coughing and gasping for air.

"Grab the stick!" I heard Simon call. I slowly tread over to the thick piece of wood that barely skimmed the water and used my free hand to grasp what I thought to be my life boat. "Pull!" The four chipmunks and chipettes were stronger than they looked; just like that, Brittany and I were plucked out of the lake and onto safe ice. Eleanor wrapped me in my sweater while the others attended to a weak Brittany who coughed up what looked like a gallon of water and shivered violently. At least she was conscious.

"Let me help." I croaked and Simon and I were tasked with dragging Brittany to the cabin, to warmth. Thoughts jumbled in my head on the way there, pounded at the sides and a headache set in as the guilt of this being my fault hacked away at me on the inside. Why did I have to be so egotistical? It's put Brittany in danger so many times and this time was just too close! "Simon?" I asked. He wouldn't reply, he only acknowledged my presence and my wanting to converse by giving me a quick glance, "How did you know we'd need the stick?" I was curious, I was able to convince everyone that it would be safe, but still he insisted on getting the stick as a precaution. Thankfully he did otherwise this would have ended worse. He sighed loudly and stared onward to our destination.

"Because I'm always right." I couldn't disagree, not now. Not after he saved mine and Brittany's life.

"Well at least you're modest about it." I said quietly, my feeble attempt at a joke to lighten the mood even the slightest. I thought I saw the corners of his lips rise in a smile, but otherwise he was silent as we climbed through the window of our temporary bedroom.

"She's freezing." Jeanette wept and huddled closer to her older sister, throwing away her sopping wet coat and clothes while Eleanor passed a pair of warm pajamas.

"Warm her up before hypothermia sets in." Simon demanded.

"The hot-tub?" Theodore suggested.

"A-Are y-you i-insane?" Brittany shivered and weakly hid under the covers of the bed with her sisters, who immediately tackled her.

"You're okay!" They blubbered.

"N-No thanks t-to Alvin." She glared at me with her piercing eyes. It felt bad, but I knew she should blame me.

"Actually," Simon broke in, noticing my discomfort, "if it weren't for Alvin, you'd probably be dead." After a moment to soak in everything that had happened, her face lightened and her glare turned into a soft-eyed weak smile. Wow, thanks for defending me, bro! "Although, if it weren't for Alvin's stupid idea to skate on the lake in the first place, you wouldn't need any help.

"Aha! Shut up, Si!" I said, slapping my hand over his mouth. Still Brittany smiled.

"I-I'll deal with i-it t-tomorrow." She whispered and drifted off under the covers.

"Alvin, you okay?" Simon asked once I removed my hand; he actually noticed that I too was freezing. I too had gone under, and I too shivered. I nodded, not in the mood to talk, thinking about how I could have handled this better.

I couldn't sleep; I tried and tried, but the haunting memory of almost losing Brittany tormented me into insomnia.

"_You couldn't stop being you for five minutes!" _I scolded myself, _"Five stupid minutes meant the difference between HER life or death!" _What I didn't understand was why she didn't lose it? Why was she so calm after what Simon said? It didn't make a difference in what happened. Surely I wasn't off the hook. As much as I wanted to be, I knew I wasn't, nor should I be. Questions and guilt trips played themselves over in my head of the entire scene starting from when we first got to the ice. Who was I kidding? I'm not brave, heck, I thought I'd wet myself the entire time! I'd never admit this outside my own mind, but my own nerdy brother was braver than me in one action than I was my entire life. He led the others into helping me and Brittany when we needed it most, I forced myself to make a permanent mental note that I owed him.

I attempted sleep once more, but nothing of the sort came. I couldn't stop thinking about Brittany; she probably hated me now. I almost succeeded in killing her… AGAIN! When would I finally succeed? When would the day come that I acted so stupid that it would be too late to save her?

"You idiot!" I snapped and quickly shut my mouth, hoping I didn't wake anyone. Looking around, I watched everyone's soft breathing and thought I was safe. I didn't want to wake anyone, not after all the stress I caused, not after this long night, especially for Brittany. They all deserved a good sleep.

"Alvin," I jumped when I heard my name, and from the voice who said it, I got nervous, "you still awake?" Her voice fluttered, no longer cold or chattered, just a soft whisper that powered my heart to beat faster.

"Brittany?" I hissed, "You should be sleeping." After what happened only hours ago, she should be resting, regaining her strength. Not wasting her time to talk to me.

"I know. It's just… I'm still cold."

"Me too." I said, not implying what she did next. I saw the mold her body made under the covers move closer to me until she lay against me, "Brit, are you okay?" I was getting mixed signals. Confusion took over and I couldn't hide it.

"Yeah, I just thought that since we're both cold that we could keep each other warm." She looked at me with pleading innocent eyes as if waiting for approval.

"Oh, uh, sure." I said and she nuzzled up close, "But aren't you angry?" My question never got an answer, by the time I asked it, she was asleep. Why was she giving me these different signals? I knew girls were hard to read, but the writing was clear: she should be angry with me at least. I mean, sure I saved her, but I saved her from a mess I caused; what has to be activated in her head for her to think that we should cuddle afterwards? Her fur was still damp against mine and her soft snoring indicated she was at peace. Her cute, little nose was cold against my cheek and I willingly let my arms be an extra layer of warmth for her. I thought to myself that if this were a different situation, one that didn't require the body heat of another, then I wouldn't be snuggling with her. And why should I? I doubt she actually wanted to, this was probably just some sort of survival instinct and after what I'd done, I wouldn't be surprised if she wanted to break up with me. It didn't help when she moved closer to me in her sleep, craving my warmth like one would to survive. Was it really meant to be with us?

"_Why?"_ I thought,_ "Why is she playing games with me?" _I tried sleeping once more and gave up the need when I failed. I wrapped my arms tighter around my girlfriend, the one I was sure hated me and would soon be my ex, and I enjoyed being close to her while I still could; because I truly knew that I didn't deserve it.


	7. Chapter 7

Brittany's Point of View

Alvin's been acting differently ever since I almost drowned two days ago. Everyone could see it and I knew why. Obviously he thought it was all his fault; it was for the most part, but how could I be angry? I willingly stepped out onto that ice, knowing the risks. Normally, I'd have gotten red in the face out of pure anger towards Alvin's responsibility, but I acted just as responsible. When I was told that after all the irresponsible actions that Alvin saved me, I reasoned with my common sense and decided to give him a second chance. Why did he save me instead of taking his usual route by leaving everyone else to do the work? The answer seemed simple: he could have been guilty or he didn't want to lose me, however it was more complicated than it seemed. I was so much more than grateful, but it raised so many questions about him and me.

His actions now were more different than I'd ever seen him. I had no idea what came over him lately; didn't he know I forgave him? I figured we were good after his action, but something bothered him. He wasn't as mischievous -he just sat around either in our room or in the open area-, he avoided me whenever he could, giving us no chance to talk, and the general mood he brought with him when he entered the room, it just wasn't as… Alviny. I was positive that I could cheer him up, but I needed to do it at the right time.

"You guys know what today is, right?" Dave asked enthusiastically as we all sat at the breakfast table in the kitchen. With all these thoughts about Alvin, it took me a while to realize how important today was. Before anyone could speak, Theodore opened his mouth and nearly shouted.

"Christmas Eve!" The innocent, childish way he said it, yeah that was more than enough to cheer anyone up; even Alvin had trouble suppressing a smile. Theodore's innocence was like the rattle that a baby so desperately wanted. It always sprung smiles and laughs, but at times could be completely confusing.

"That's right!" Dave exclaimed, "Eleanor, if you don't mind, would you help me start cooking tonight's dinner?"She nodded excitedly and hopped from her spot away from me and Jeanette and onto Dave's shoulder.

"Chef Eleanor at your service, sir!" She stated, giving Dave a salute.

"Ooh, I wanna help too!" Theodore piped up and soared to Dave's other shoulder. No objections were said and Dave asked us if we wanted to all help too, which we all quickly denied. That meant for today it would be me, Alvin, Simon and Jeanette spending some "quality time together." Obviously we wouldn't be doing that. What could four chipmunks do at a huge cabin with a hot-tub on Christmas Eve?

Alvin finished breakfast early and ran off quickly afterwards. I couldn't stop worrying about him. The geeky couple that consisted of my sister and Alvin's brother left for the outside world, something I wasn't quite ready to go back to yet. And Dave and Eleanor and Theodore ditched everyone to cook, kicking me out of the kitchen to find something to do alone. Something to do… Something to do… Sing? No one to sing for… Plan for Alvin's surprise! How do you plan when you give someone your heart? It wasn't literal, so that left out surgery. Do I just go for broke? I was debating asking Jeanette for advice; she was the only one here, who has actually dated a boy. I'm not saying I was all talk… I was just no action. I decided to wait for her to come back inside and started to the open area to dance.

Singing and dancing; both were what relieved me of my stress. They were both fun and got rid of any extra energy that I really didn't need. I twirled my way to the open area, not worrying about tripping over anything. What was there to trip over?

"Oof." I grunted, bumping into a mixture of fluffy brown fur and a red hoodie.

"Careful!" Alvin complained and glared at one of the mistletoe's in the Christmas tree. Then, realizing it was me, gently apologized, "Sorry for bumping into you." He stammered and started his way out.

"Wait," I called and he stopped, "Can we talk?"

"What about?" He asked, his mannerisms becoming a little more squeamish. His eyes fluttered to various sides of the room, but his head was lowered, keeping me from actual eye contact. He fidgeted a little with his hands and arms, though soon calmed down when I stepped closer. Never was he like this. I was sick of it; I wanted to scream at him, to tell him to snap out of it, but this kind of thing had to be handled gently.

"You just haven't been the same ever since our bet. You know you won and that I forgive you for making me go out, right?"

"You do?" He lightened up, but more with surprise and then quickly sank back, "I didn't win, you did. You were braver." Okay, I think he must have hit his head at some point, I clearly was NOT braver.

"Of course you won, you not only stayed on the ice longer than me, but you were brave enough to save me."

"No, that's not it. I lost the second you stepped near the ice." His voice was cold and I thought I could see a tear form, but like always, I was likely just imagining.

"But-" I started.

"Brittany if it weren't for me in the first place, you wouldn't need saving! I'm reckless whether I mean to be or not, but I'm also scared." He gently caressed my cheek with his shaky hand, "I don't want you out of my life, especially because of something I did. I'm scared to lose you. I-I-I," He stuttered, turned away from me, and sank. His tail folded around his feet and he shook, but did his best to cover up his sadness, "I'm just not right for you." He ran off, but I couldn't follow, too stunned to even know where I was. I couldn't think, I couldn't cry, I couldn't even move. I needed to slap the sense right back into him -he was out of it- but my conscience kept me from any form of attack.

"_How could he think like that?"_ I thought, _"Sure he lives a little on the dangerous side, but doesn't he know I really like him?"_ What was I doing that was pushing him away?

"_I'm just not right for you…" _That couldn't be him… It was his body, but those weren't his words. So what if I was at a little risk, every relationship had them. Could he not see that? I needed more than Jeanette, I needed someone who understood Alvin, even just a little, or at least let me know how to understand him. Simon.

"You see my problem though, don't you?" I asked the blue-sweatered chipmunk as he and my sister hung their coats. Hours outside, how the heck could they survive that?!

"I do." Simon answered simply.

"Then why won't you help me?"

"Brit, you're trying to get inside the mind of one the most impossible living creatures on the planet." He went along repeating what I had told him and Jeanette. All about how I was having these 'relationship problems' and that we couldn't communicate so easily. It sounded like an understatement to me, but that was probably because I was a part of it, "Really all you can do is take your time with him, be patient and hope that eventually he'll open up to you."

"You don't understand," I argued, "He said he was scared and that he wasn't right for me just because he threatened my life by accident. How can I convince him otherwise?"

"Just admit your full feelings for him." Jeanette chimed, "It worked with me and Simon and they're in the same gene pool, as are we. It shouldn't be all that different." She was mostly right. These two lovebirds really proved their feelings, they took down a twenty ton bulldozer! What the heck could I do?

"Well, I could give him his Christmas present a little early." I responded.

"That's a great start!" A start? Who was she kidding? It was perfect!

"Thanks, guys!" I said and hopped away with the satisfaction of knowing I could solve my problem.

The ringing of the dinner bell sung beautifully as we got the first scents of the platter Dave, Elli, and Theo set up. The dinner as a whole – unbelievable. Roasted vegetables and nuts, potatoes, and yes, even toaster waffles as well as all the Christmas classics; gingerbread cookies, candy canes (what was Dave thinking with all this sugar?) and chocolate. We ate to our stomach's content and finally, when we could eat no more, we sank in the open area with no sugar rush and listened to the crackle of another fire. Being a parent, I guess he found it relaxing to have with his family. Theodore was out quicker than the flicker of the fire, and my sisters and Simon sang a soft carol. Alvin acted like he had for most of this cabin trip, staring at the flames, while I was stuck under the tree, shaded from the light.

"Family time" didn't last long; the fire was put out even before it could reach it's peak.

Dave, carrying Theodore, was first to go to bed, soon followed by Simon, Jeanette, and Eleanor, who thought she was determined to stay up and see Santa. I hid behind the tree as I scouted Alvin watching the remaining embers and listening to the sizzling of the drenched logs. It was only when he finally stood that I took my plan into action. He walked past and I stepped out of the tree.

"Alvin," I said and he stopped dead in his tracks and turned around.

"Hey, Brit, why aren't you in bed for tomorrow?" He questioned me suspiciously.

"I thought we could... Hang out?" I fumbled with a response. Sure I planned out how the evening could go, but I forgot that he had a mouth to speak with, and a mind to think with. I didn't really plan out the important stuff, you know, the details!

"Hang out on Christmas Eve?" There was no way he bought it, "Really, what's wrong, Brit?" He was onto me already. Time for plan B. But was the best thing to do telling him the truth?

"I'm worried about you," I stated, "I want you to be comfortable around me and stop blaming yourself." I paused to wait for an answer, he looked up from the ground, finally giving me a view of his hazel eyes.

"I want that too, you know." He said, "I don't deserve you though."

"Ugh, are you still on that? Drop it. You saved me! You're more my hero than anything…"

"Hero?" He whispered and slowly walked up to me, "You honestly think I'm a hero?" I nodded and inched my way closer.

"Think of it this way," I pondered, "I'm still here, and I still want to be your girlfriend, no matter how many times you accidentally try to kill me." My voice dwindled to a whisper as I 'just happened' to look up. "Mistletoe." He looked up and gave it a strange look, like he thought it was dangerous, then, as he realized what I set up, he looked at me in my own soft blue eyes with his mouth wide open.

"Uhm…" I instantly shushed him with the tip of my finger then wrapped my arms around his neck. At first our lips only brushed past each other, but when he embraced me in a soft hug I knew I succeeded in my plan; pressing our lips together in a real kiss. I felt my knees go weak, but thankfully he held me up. The tingle in my lips and the soaring in my heart. These and the mere fact that I was kissing Alvin were what made me squeak once we parted.

"Wow…" I whispered, "That was…"

"Awesome." He said with a smile, but then added, "Whoops." A beep was sounded and before we knew it we were soaked with warm water from the hot-tub, "Aww, I knew it, wrong mistletoe." He looked at me apologetically, "That was kinda meant for Simon and Jeanette." Should I have been angry? Probably, I'd be going to bed unwillingly wet for the second time on the trip, but this was a good sign.

"It's okay," I forced a laugh, "You're being you again." My lips attacked his once more before heading off to bed, leaving him in bewilderment under the mistletoe.


End file.
